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John Higgins
John Higgins is the former steward of Captain Scroggs of the HMS Wolverine. After Scroggs' death, he comes to see Jacky as his new mistress. He cares for her deeply, and tries to keep her out of trouble, but this often fails, despite his best efforts. As hinted early in the series and revealed later, Higgins prefers the company of men. Early life Higgins worked as a steward for the family of Lord Hollingsworth, educating himself by reading every volume in the family library throughout the years. Upon Hollingsworth's death, Higgins convinced himself that a life at sea would provide a sense of adventure that remaining in the house would not. Story Higgins first appears in ''Under the Jolly Roger'' as the steward of the vile Scroggs, and sympathizes with Jacky's plight. He joins her permanently after the Battle of Trafalgar, acting as one of her many confidants and protectors during her return to The Lawson Peabody School for Young Girls. In ''In the Belly of the Bloodhound'', Higgins impresses Mistress Miranda Pimm and secures himself a position as a steward at the Lawson Peabody. However, when Pimm becomes ill and the entire students body disappears, he works however he can to plumb the mystery. He has the body of Dobbs autopsied and deduces from there that the girls' "drowning" was a ruse to disguise the fact that they have been kidnapped by slavers. After Jacky and the girls escape, Higgins is one of Jacky's many friends waiting for her in Boston Harbor. In ''Mississippi Jack'','' Higgins poses as "Colonel Swithin," a pompous naval officer, in order to spring Jacky from captivity. He spends a great deal of Faber Shipping Worldwide, Incorporated's money to do this, and joins Jacky in her attempt to lay low in the wilds of America. Higgins is once again separated from Jacky in [[My Bonny Light Horseman|''My Bonny Light Horseman]],'' after the ''Nancy B. Alsop is attacked by the Lafitte pirates and Jacky is taken by the Navy once again. While puzzling out Jacky's whereabouts, Higgins spends time with James Emerson Fletcher and appoints him Captain of the Nancy B. in Jacky's absence. His skills gain him the attention of the Admiralty, and Higgins is made a First Agent of British Intelligence, becoming acquainted with Sir Thomas Grenville, Mr. Peel, and Stephen Sebastian. In ''Rapture of the Deep'', Higgins accompanies Jacky on her journey to uncover sunken Spanish gold in the Florida Keys. During the crew's intermittent excursions to Havana, Higgins has trysts with several male acquaintances, the details of which he does not reveal. In [[The Wake of the 'Lorelei Lee'|''The Wake of the 'Lorelei Lee']], Higgins attempts to arrange Jacky's release from Newgate prison, and when that fails, he bribes his way into obtaining a meeting with her. He informs her that she will be sent to the penal colony in Australia and that he will be joining her, as he has acquired a job as steward to Augustus Laughton. He also arranges, at Jacky's behest, the severe beating of Jacky's abusive prison guards. While onboard the ''Lorelei Lee, Higgins clandestinely provides protection and conveniences for Jacky. In ''The Mark of the Golden Dragon'','' Higgins leads the search for Jacky when the latter is presumed dead in a typhoon, and then aids in the search for Jaimy. During this time, it is implied that Higgins has an affair with Lord Byron. In ''Viva Jacquelina!, Higgins is sent to Portugal with Jacky on assignment for Lord Wellesley, and is separated from the latter when she is sent to Spain. The two reunite in Boston Jacky, wherein Higgins joins Jacky's Council of War in order to combat the combined threats of Pigger O'Tool, Constable Wiggins, Captain Warren, and Mrs. Shinn's Temperance Union. In ''Wild Rover No More'','' Higgins aids Jacky during her tenure as governess to Edgar Allen Polk by forging letters from Amy Trevelyne, so that the postmaster will not grow suspicious of a young lady receiving letters from a man. Once Jacky joins the Montessori Circus, Higgins joins her, along with Mairead Delaney, Enoch Lightner, and Eliza Lightner, in order to set up the circus's Midway events and make some real money. Once this is done, Higgins plans on returning to Boston, though he is held up when Jacky is kidnapped by Udo von Arndt. Higgins leads a posse, which includes Marcello Grimaldi, to rescue her and recover Faber Shipping's money, but Jacky escapes by herself. Higgins's men hunt down Udo and kill him. Higgins is instrumental in the elaborate scheme to rescue Jacky from the gallows after she is captured by American Intelligence. He remains Jacky's close friend and Vice President of Faber Shipping at the end of the series. Personality Higgins is extremely formal and completely dedicated to making everything "first class" for Jacky. He considers Jacky responsible for ending his life of misery aboard the ''Wolverine, and is thus devoted to her, though he also loves her as a friend and a surrogate daughter. He is mostly secretive about his personal life, occasionally hinting that he has romantic flings while the crew is on shore leave in various ports. Despite his modest appearance as a steward, Higgins is a skilled gunfighter, often carrying two pistols. Category:Characters Category:Male Characters Category:Major Characters